Meeting of the Parliament

Time for Reflection Rev Norman Afrin, Minister, Sandyhills Parish Church followed by Motion of Condolence John Swinney S6M-17250 That the Parliament expresses its deep sadness at the death of Pope Francis; conveys its condolences to all those in the Roman Catholic community in Scotland and beyond; affirms the affection in which His Holiness was held by people across the world, and expresses gratitude for his lifetime of devotion and dedicated public service. followed by Topical Questions Kenneth Gibson S6T-02475 1. To ask the Scottish Government when it expects to conclude negotiations with Peel Ports regarding the purchase of Ardrossan Harbour. Liam Kerr S6T-02471 2. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that 506 sex offenders in Scotland have changed their name in the past two years. followed by Ministerial Statement: The Supreme Court’s Judgment in Relation to Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act 2018 followed by Scottish Government Debate: The International Situation followed by Decision Time followed by Members' Business — S6M-17011 Douglas Lumsden: Addressing Waiting Times in NHS Grampian That the Parliament notes the reported concerns regarding challenges that NHS Grampian is facing in relation to staffing shortages and resource limitations, which it understands has contributed to delays in patient care and increased pressure on existing medical personnel; acknowledges that, in September 2024, NHS Grampian reported that over 3,000 patients were waiting over two years for hospital treatment, which it believes was the highest number among Scottish NHS boards; understands that, in November 2024, NHS Grampian declared a board level critical incident, which led to the diversion of ambulance patients to hospitals outside the region due in part to sustained pressures at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary; notes that, in late November 2024, NHS Grampian experienced a significant rise in delayed discharges, with 199 cases, which according to the NHS board accounted for 13% of all beds in the region; believes that hospitals in the area are using outdated medical equipment, including an MRI scanner and an X-ray machine that are 15 and 27 years old, respectively, and notes the calls for the Scottish Government to develop an urgent plan to tackle what it regards as the ongoing issues within NHS Grampian that are impacting on patient care and service delivery.